Ocean FM News Reports

Many hospitality and tourism operators are struggling to cope with operating costs, tight margins and reduced profitability. Representatives including the LVA and Irish Tourism Industry Confederation are meeting TDs and Senators today ahead of Budget 2025. They’re calling for a return to the 9 per cent VAT introduced during the Pandemic and say the industry is struggling with the current 13.5 per...

Mica is becoming a nationwide issue, and is starting to impact important community services. That's according to Independent Donegal TD, Thomas Pringle, who raised the case of Ardara Community Childcare Centre in the Dáil. The service is currently housed in a building impacted by defective concrete blocks. Deputy Pringle warned that other services across the country could be impacted if the crisis...

New speed limits are set to come into effect in Sligo at the end of November. According to correspondence from Sligo County Council, new legislation will see a speed limit of 60km per hour come into effect in rural local roads in November of this year. It's expected that limits of 30km per hour in urban areas and 80km per hour on national secondary roads will be in place in the first half of 2025....

Two Sligo creches are the sole facilities in the North West to have scored top marks in a recent national Q Mark assessment. They are both Cre8ive Corner Creches, and are based at Brooklawns and Farmhill Manor, both off the Strandhill Road, and employ a combined team of 50 staff who provide services to over 200 children. Cre8ive Corner Brooklawns has been located at Sea Road for more than a decade...

A former member of An Garda Síochana has hit out at the Government over an examination of members of the Defence Forces going through the judicial process. Former Garda Sergeant Christy Galligan says that the Defence Forces Act needs to be overhauled, rather than the Government intervening with cases that are yet to go before the courts. The call comes as Cathal Crotty's suspended sentence is to b...

Two north west projects are among 17 nationally that are set to benefit from almost €300,000 in funding under the 2024 Rural Innovation and Development Fund. Donegal Town Community Chamber will receive €12,826 while €11,200 is on the way to Achonry Farmers Market in south Sligo.  Announcing the funding, Minister for Agriculture and Donegal Deputy McConalogue said the Food Vision 2030 strategy...

The Government has come under fire after one of Donegal's top tourist attractions has been deemed inaccessible to the general public.   It's understood that the castle at Glenveagh National Park has been closed on numerous occasions recently due to staff shortages.   It has resulted in a significant number of tourists left disappointed.   Councillor Michael Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig...

Ireland's moving towards a health-led response to drug use. It's an approach which was endorsed by the recent Citizens' Assembly on drug use - and involves alternatives to traditional sentencing. A new report out today shows the benefit of schemes that tackle the cause of drug-use, and divert offenders into programmes that can help them tackle their issues. Sligo Leitrim TD Frank Feighan says that...

Donegal, Dublin, Cork, and Kerry are among just some of the counties, where thousands of homes will be needed by 2040. Data from the ESRI suggests population growth in all major towns and cities across the country will result in to an overall population of 6.1 million by 2040. Between 35 and 53 thousand new homes a year will be needed to cope with the increase. Paul Egan research officer with the...

It's regrettable that we have the largest LEA in Sligo County Council with no female voice at the table. Those are the thoughts of Jennifer van Aswegen who was discussing the recent violent attack on Natasha O'Brien. Ms van Aswegen was a Sinn Féin candidate in the recent Ballymote-Tubbercurry election, and has now been speaking on the importance of women's voices at all levels of society. Ms van A...

A scheme offering women free contraception has been expanded. Since its launch in 2022, the programme has offered free contraception to women, girls and people who identify as transgender or non-binary. Initially open to those aged 17 to 25, the scheme's age limit was increased earlier this year to those aged 31. From today, it is also open to women aged 32 to 35. Local Independent Councillor Mari...

A Donegal County Councillor says he and his family are lucky to be alive after a phone charger caught fire.   The alarm was raised yesterday morning after a burning smell was noted in the house.   A phone and charger were later discovered smouldering.   Councillor Michael McClafferty says it was a miracle that the incident happened during the day and when someone was at home.  ...

Fianna Fail Cllr Tom MacSharry has been elected Mayor of the Borough District of Sligo. He replaces Cllr Declan Bree for the upcoming twelve months. People Before Profit Cllr Gino O'Boyle takes up the position of Deputy Mayor. Speaking to Ocean FM news, Cllr MacSharry says housing crisis will be one of key objectives in the time ahead:

When asked over the comments made by Cllr Nealon in the Chamber, newly elected Mayor Cllr Tom MacSharry has this to say:

Speeding on rural roads was an issue raised on par with the housing crisis and the cost of living. That's according to Ballymote-Tubbercurry Fianna Fáil Cllr Liam Brennan, who was speaking following recent RSA claims that 7 in 10 fatal crashes occur on rural roads with speed limits of 80km or higher. 94 people have died on Irish roads so far this year, and research from TII shows motorways are fiv...

Outgoing Mayor Declan Bree pleaded with Cllr Nealon to respect the Chair but Cllr Nealon persisted in speaking over him. Eventually things simmered down and Cllr MacSharry was elected Mayor. Then, when People Beofre Profit Cllr Gino O’Boyle was nominated as Deputy Mayor, Labour Cllr Nessa Cosgrove proposed Cllr Nealon for the role. This subsequently went to a vote with four local representatives t...

There were tense scenes in The City Hall in Sligo earlier today over the appointments of Mayor and Deputy Mayor to the Borough District.   Proceedings didn’t get off to smooth start, with two newly elected Cllrs voicing their concerns over how their fellow colleagues decided to delegate the positions. In the chamber today, Fianna Fáil Cllr Tom MacSharry was nominated for Mayor of the Borough...

There are concerns locally that the latest allocation of Gardaí to the North West will not address the fears that members of the community will have. That's according to Manorhamilton Sinn Fein Cllr Padraig Fallon, after 6 new Gardaí were sent to the North West region out of 157. It is also the fourth consecutive time the North West has been allocated the lowest number of new Gardaí. Out of the 68...

The wider Sligo farming community has been plunged into shock and sadness following the death of a woman in a farm-related incident in south Sligo on Saturday afternoon. An investigation is continuing this morning into the incident in Clooncose, which occurred shortly after 4.20pm after the woman, in her 50s was struck by a vehicle while loading turf onto a trailer. The woman's remains have been r...

Donegal are into a first All-Ireland football semi-final for a decade. Paddy McGill and guests review Sunday's 1-23 to 0-18 quarter-final win over Louth at Croke Park.

A Sligo-Leitrim TD has highlighted the current “crisis” in relation to funding for primary education nationwide.   Ireland ranked last among 36 developed countries in Government expenditure per student in primary schools, according to an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report.   Independent TD Marian Harkin noted how some schools need to fundraise just to cover all...

Those in the sheep sector in the north west have expressed frustration over the latest reductions for spring lamb and hogget prices from factories.   Since May, prices for spring lambs have dropped from 85 cent to one euro per kilogram in some cases.   IFA Sheep committee chairperson and Donegal-based farmer Adrian Gallagher is calling on factories to be more responsible in pricing of la...

Hundreds gathered at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Ransboro on Saturday afternoon for the funeral mass of former RTÉ journalist Tommie Gorman.   Mr Gorman, of Lisheen, Strandhill and formerly of Cairns Road passed away Saint Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin on Tuesday.   He was 68.   Among the mourners included Taoiseach Simon Harris as well former Sinn Féin and DUP leaders Gerry A...

Tommie Gorman has been remembered for his kindness and inquisitiveness at his funeral mass this afternoon. Mr Gorman, who worked for RTÉ for more than forty years passed away on Tuesday at the age of 68. He is survived by his wife Ceara, daughter Moya, son Joe and extended family members. During the homily at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Ransboro this afternoon, Chief Celebrant, Reverand Chr...

A Donegal TD used his county as an example in the Dáil for improvements needed in relation to funding for carers.   Independent TD Thomas Pringle has called the statuary home care scheme an “undelivered promise” from the government.   It was pointed out that the majority of care provided in the home is undertaken informally by family members and others.   Deputy Pringle says there a...